Published on Tuesday, December 3, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The most popular Christmas dessert in Italy is panettone, a tall cake made from flour, sugar, milk, eggs, fruit and raisins. You will see these for sale in every food shop in Italy throughout the holiday season. One type of panettone you won't find everywhere is a gold-and-diamond version commissioned by a Russian businessman. Pastry chef Dario Hartvig, owner of th...

Published on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 by Kathy McCabe What do Italians do at the end of October and beginning of November? They harvest their olives. Up and down the country, huge olive producers as well as folks with just a few trees on their property bring together friends and workers to pick the olives from the trees. Once picked, they gather them up for a trip to the olive mill. As part of the Southern Go...

Published on Friday, November 1, 2013 by Kathy McCabe When in Rome, do as the Romans do and when it comes to the lauded dessert Tiramisu, they get theirs at Pompi. Pompi is known as "Il Regno Del Tiramisù"  or "the kingdom of Tiramisu." The original location for the kingdom is a coffee shop/bar, Bar Pompi,  in Piazza Roma di Rè. This is where Romans would flock to buy a Tiramisu for a dinner party or get a swee...

Published on Monday, October 28, 2013 by Kathy McCabe I've been in the region of Puglia, in the heel of the Italian boot,  this week. The most southern part of the region is called the Salento and here they eat a favorite sweet pastry -- pasticciotto! This single-serving, crusted cake with sweet filling was born sometime in the 18th century. Of course, there is debate about where exactly this sweet treasure was in...

Published on Sunday, September 15, 2013 by Kathy McCabe 10 Things We Love About Italy from The Perennial Plate on Vimeo....

Published on Friday, September 13, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The Italy Mix is a post about the most interesting Italy and Italy travel news and human interest stories around the Web each week. Here are our top picks for this week: Take Action for Tiramisu:  An Italian politician has asked the European Union for protection for that precious dessert - tiramisu. (Italy Magazine) No Fun at Leaning Tower of Pisa: A panicked ...

Published on Sunday, September 8, 2013 by Kathy McCabe The Academia Barilla in Parma is the first international center dedicated to the development and promotion of Italian gastronomic culture. So the folks there know a thing or two about Italian food and how it should be prepared and eaten. The center recently published  10 Italian cooking commandments according to Academia Barilla. Here they are: 1. You shall not s...

Published on Monday, August 5, 2013 by Kathy McCabe If you're looking for some ultimate, once-in-lifetime Italian experiences, get ready to visit the region of Emilia-Romagna in central Italy. That's where Italy's luxury car makers are based and where YOU can get behind the wheel of a Ferrari or a Lamborghini for a Super Car Test Drive! Choose the model you want to drive (how about a Spider) and where (race track, i...

Published on Friday, May 10, 2013 by Kathy McCabe If you're traveling to Rome and looking for an authentic dining experience, look no further than Orso 80. You can make a meal out of the antipasti alone at this casual Roman eatery near Piazza Navona. Or another way to put it is don't go to Orso 80 and not partake of the scrumptious appetizers. Yes, they are that good! Tell the waiter to bring out a selection of the d...

Published on Friday, April 26, 2013 by Kathy McCabe A long-standing ban on the import of salami into the United States will be lifted on May 28, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.  Previously the American Federal Drug Administration prohibited the import of cured pork products. The move will open up a huge market for Italian salami manufacturers. The Italian farmers' organization Coldiretti estimates that t...